It was nearly lunch time when I went up to the village shop this morning. Opening the door, a wave of good smells washed over me. Since Renato was serving another customer, I peeked into the room at the back of the shop where I found Eugenia preparing ragù alla matriciana. As she lifted the lid from the pot, releasing even more intense aromas, she asked whether I knew the recipe and rattled it off for me anyway. The pasta was already boiling in the huge pan on another burner. Turning back into the shop, I bought my half loaf of bread and a stick of celery, all that I needed this morning, but before I could leave, out came Eugenia bearing a plastic bowl full of pasta alla matriciana. She wrapped it in a sheet of white paper and presented it to me for my first course at lunch. An authentic home-cooked ready meal!